August 24, 2014

No Self, Selflessness (Anatta/Anatman) & the Five Aggregates

Mindah-Lee Kumar Uncategorized 5 aggregates, 5 aggregates Buddhism, 5 khandhas, 5 skandhas, anatman, anatman Buddhism, anatman definition, anatta, anatta Buddhism, anatta definition, buddha self, buddhism and self, buddhism fundamentals, Buddhism no self, buddhism non self, buddhist non self, concept of self in Buddhism, define selfless, egoless, egolessness, five aggregate, five aggregates, five aggregates Buddhism, five aggregates in Buddhism, five aggregates of attachment, illusion of self, khandha, khandhas, meaning of selfless, no ego, no self, non self, non self in Buddhism, not-self, self and consciousness, self and non self, self and nonself, selfless definition, selfless meaning, Selflessness, skandhas, the five aggregates, the five aggregates Buddhism, the five aggregates in Buddhism, the five aggregates of Buddhism, the five skandhas, the illusion of self, the self illusion, there is no self, what are the five aggregates

 
The concept of no self or selflessness (also known as anatta or anatman in Buddhism) can sometimes be confusing. If there is no self, then who or what is experiencing our present reality? The Buddha taught that there are five aggregates that constitute a living being; however, to solely identify with these is to rob ourselves of knowing our true nature which isn’t defined by these five phenomena.

In this video, I explain in detail what these five aggregates (khandhas or skandhas) are and how the Buddha’s teachings of no self serves as a liberating reminder that our thoughts, feelings and perceptions are not to be taken so seriously; that instead there is a way to live in this world with a greater lightness of being.

 
Suggested Reading/Listening:

A list of the 51 Mental Formations

The Five Aggregates:A Study Guide by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

A nice talk on the aggregates by Gil Fronsdal

Another great talk on the five aggregates by Ajahn Brahm
 

More videos:

You can find a complete collection of my videos on Buddhism and meditation at The Enthusiastic Buddhist Society.
 

Suttas used in this video:

“Gaddula Sutta: The Leash (2)” (SN 22.100), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.100.than.html.

“Bahuna Sutta: To Bahuna” (AN 10.81), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.081.than.html.

“‘When you know for yourselves…’: The Authenticity of the Pali Suttas”, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 23 April 2012, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/authenticity.html.

 

 
 
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